Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/378

320 eth of the treasure now save God and me, and it shall ever be hid from thee, thou fiend.”

Quoth she: “Ye have requited me full ill, so I will keep the sword of Siegfried, the which my sweetheart bare, when last. I saw him, in whom dole of heart hath happed to me through you.”

From the sheath she drew if, nor could he hinder her a whit. She planned to rob the knight of life. With her hands she raised it and struck off his head. This King Etzel saw, and sore enow it rued him, “Alack!” cried the lording, “how lieth now dead at a woman’s hands the very best of knights, that ever came to battle or bare a shield! However much I was his foe, yet it doth grieve me sorely.”

Then spake old Hildebrand: “Forsooth it shall not boot her aught, that she durst slay him. Whatso hap to me, and however much it may bring me to a dangerous pass, yet will I avenge bold Troneg’s death.”

Hildebrand sprang in wrath towards Kriemhild. For fear of him she suffered pain; but what might it avail her, that she shrieked so frightfully? He dealt the queen a grievous sword-blow, the which did cut the high-born dame in twain. Now all lay low in death whom fate had doomed. Dietrich and Etzel then began to weep; sorely they mourned both kin and liegemen, Their mickle honors lay there low in death; the courtiers all had grief and drearihead. The king’s high feast had ended now in woe, as joy doth ever end in sorrow at the last. I cannot tell you, that which happed thereafter, save that knights and ladies and noble squires were seen to weep for the death of loving kinsmen. The tale hath here an end. This is the Nibelungs’ fall.